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I did it! I did it! I got the number one pick in my Fantasy Football draft. Big thanks to my personal Holy Ghost of the gridiron…Vince Lombardi, who I know is watching over me. This is going to be my year.

Clearly this is a sign the tide is turning in my favor, as I haven’t finished in the top three in the past three years. You’d think I might be dejected after three years without winning, right? Or perhaps, when I tell you I’m a Vikings fan, you think, “Ahhhhh, she’s used to losing.” But no, I am not dejected.

Even if I haven’t had a winning season in 5 years, I’ve been eagerly awaiting the 2016 Fantasy Football draft night since the final seconds ticked off the clock in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl last February.

I am an unabashed Fantasy Football diehard. According to Forbes magazine, I’m one of 6.4 million American women who are glued to screens, — television, mobile or otherwise, each game day, monitoring scores from around the NFL. That’s right. One third of Fantasy Football managers are women. It’s not a man’s game anymore, baby.

And no, we’re not letting our husbands and boyfriends manage our teams. I put someone in a headlock for insinuating that once. Kidding. Sort of. And we’re not choosing players by cutest mascot or tight end.

We do the homework. We “break down tapes,” as they say. I’ll admit, before I started playing Fantasy, I was a hometown team fan, and that’s about as far as my love for the game went. I knew the basics of football, but I had no idea what a tight-end was, where the redzone was, or which running back had the most yards-per-carry.

But with Fantasy Football you not only gain knowledge of the game you never in a million years imagined you’d care about, but you can name every Quarterback in the league, the best defense, the Wide Receiver with the most receptions, and the number of yards the leading Running Back ran for.

If you love analytics, there is no better hobby for you. You’ll suddenly find yourself listening to SportsCenter on Sunday Morning, watching NFL GameDay, or tuning in 15 minutes before game time to find out who is active or on the injured reserve.

There is the maddening, nail-biting anticipation of a Monday night game, when winning or losing comes down to the 4th quarter, and three extra points by your kicker stand between you and first place in your league. The only time I stay up past my bedtime on a weeknight? Guaranteed, it’s for Monday Night Football.

So why are more women drawn to the allure of Fantasy Football each year? Well, assuming they don’t have a huge passion for the game to begin with, women love it for a lot of the same reasons men do, including:

Connecting with friends, family, coworkers, neighbors – My dad and I talk now more than ever. He plays in 3 leagues. I like to go to him to discuss strategy, proposed player trades, line-up and bye week options. However, I learned early on: don’t ever take anyone else’s advice. You’ll have no excuses and resentment if the advice doesn’t pan out, and you’ll get all the glory for yourself if you make the decision on your own.

I play in several leagues. One is a “girls-only” league with my friends from Facebook, who live all over the country. It’s a great way for us to keep in touch on a regular basis throughout the season, and we share a lot of laughs…from team names to the most ridiculously frilly, frou-frou traveling trophy in the history of football (if Martha Stewart designed trophies, this would be it).

Social Ritual and Tradition – Every year a group of my coworkers, from all departments, IT, Finance, Customer Service and Marketing, get together after work for some appetizers, adult beverages and our Fantasy draft. People who never meet during the course of business hours have become friends over the years. There’s more cooperation, camaraderie, and morale boost through the friendly competition. We also have a jersey day and chili cook-off during the season, and, of course, we give each other a little good-spirited ribbing during the offseason.

It’s Good for You – Everybody knows about the psychology of winning right? There’s the adrenaline rush. The self-confidence boost. Fantasy Football is good for your health. It’s science. Don’t believe me? Read for yourself, from the author of Sports Fans: The Psychology and Social Impact of Spectators.

Bragging Rights, Trophies, Cold, Hard Cash – Or, humiliation of opponents in extreme cases, like the guy in the news a few years back who was the big loser in his league and had to get a tattoo of his most hated team’s logo. Talk about a diehard.

So ladies, this is your year. Beginners luck is REAL. Trust me. I’ve seen it with my own two eyes on more than one occasion. Give it a go. It’s good for you!

With the long holiday weekend upon us, there’s always a chance that Mother Nature will rain on our parade and send us running indoors, either seeking shelter from the rain or to escape the heat. Some of us don’t even need a reason to duck into the theater for a matinee and be transported to another world. Plus, it’s always the right time for a big bucket of popcorn, a box of Milk Duds and a super-sized, lemon-lime slushie.

Thought I’d share a list of the new movies in theaters now, and some coming very soon.

These include the amazing Finding Dory, which has been dominating the box office since it’s release, grossing $285 million in its first 10 days. And The BFG, (The Big Friendly Giant) which reteams E.T. screenwriter, Melissa Mathison and the legendary Steven Spielberg, his first time directing a Disney movie.

If you’re looking for epic adventure this holiday weekend, here comes The Legend of Tarzan, starring eye-candy for everybody, Alexander Skarsgard and Margot Robbie (who will appear in the DC Comics blockbuster, The Suicide Squad, with Jared Leto as The Joker, later this summer).

Which summer movie are you dying to see? We’d love to hear your reviews.

On behalf of all of us at Smart Perks, we hope you have a fabulous and safe 4th of July weekend.

Blogger Melanie Bisson, who is pet-obsessed, has seen every trailer for The Secret Life of Pets at least a dozen times.

The presents are opened, Santa has come and gone. The feasting is over, but the fun’s just begun! This is it…the movie lovers’ most wonderful time of year when the build-up to the Golden Globes® and Oscars® meets holiday blockbusters head on.

I’m personally excited for the first onscreen re-teaming of Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg since The Other Guys, in the highly anticipated Daddy’s Home. I kid, I kid. I think I’ll wait for that one to show up at The Red Box. It’s rated PG. But I have a feeling the teenagers in your household would much rather see something about “a galaxy far, far away.”

I asked a few of my colleagues around the office to share the movies they’re most looking forward to. I think there’s something for just about everyone here.

Damien Q. Web Designer, Guest Blogger

Three movies I’m excited to see this holiday season are Krampus, The Hateful Eight and Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Krampus

Krampus – Universal Studios

Krampus is a comedy-horror based on old German folklore that goes back to pre-Christian alpine traditions. Krampus is a horned anthropomorphic figure who punishes misbehaving children, the shadow of Santa Claus. Adam Scott, known for Parks & Rec, and David Koechner, known from SNL and Anchor Man star in this creepy comedy, a throwback to ‘80s horror.

Also stars: Toni Collette, Conchatta Ferrell

The Hateful Eight

The Hateful Eight is Quentin Tarantino’s ninth film, and, as usual, is expected to be a masterpiece – currently holding a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The Hateful Eight takes place in post-Civil War Wyoming, as bounty hunters (Tarantino assembles many of his favorite actors once again) try to find shelter during a blizzard, but get involved in a plot of betrayal and deception. Mayhem ensues. Because Tarantino.

This is the next film in a series of endless Star Wars films from Disney, but the first directed by J.J. Abrams. After the whole Jar Jar Binks debacle and other prequels, Abrams is hoping to redeem the franchise after those horrible films (IMHO) released by George Lucas from 1999 to 2005. What else can I say? Star Wars! Plot points are to be kept a secret, don’t ruin it for yourself.

Why I want to see it: First of all, I loved Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper in Silver Linings Playbook, so if they’re teaming up again for this one, I’m there! I believe this is the fourth film featuring these two talented actors together – I’m sure it’s because they have great chemistry and are fun to watch. Secondly, I enjoy movies about real people who overcome hardships and obstacles to fulfill their dreams. I’m also drawn to emotionally-driven comedies with interesting characters. This seems to cover all the bases.

Plot: Joy is the story of a family across four generations centered on the girl who becomes the woman who founds a business dynasty and becomes a matriarch in her own right. Betrayal, treachery, the loss of innocence and the scars of love, pave the road in this intense emotional and human comedy about becoming a true boss of family and enterprise facing a world of unforgiving commerce.

Who else is in it: Robert DeNiro, Dianne Ladd, Virginia Madsen, and Isabella Rossellini.

The Revenant – Mammoth Studios

The Revenant

Why I want to see it:
After watching the trailer and learning that this film is inspired by true events about survival against unspeakable odds, I’m really anxious to see this movie on the big screen. Other reasons it’s on my must-see list – it’s being touted as one of the most anticipated films of 2016 and it stars one of my favorite actors, Leonardo DiCaprio. I’ve been a big fan of his since I first saw him in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape and I heard he’s spectacular in this movie. Maybe this will be the year he finally wins that elusive Oscar!

Plot:The Revenant is an immersive and visceral cinematic experience capturing one man’s epic adventure of survival and the extraordinary power of the human spirit. In an expedition of the uncharted American wilderness in the 1800s, legendary explorer Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) is brutally attacked by a bear and left for dead by members of his own hunting team. In a quest to survive, Glass endures unimaginable grief as well as the betrayal of his confidant John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy). Guided by sheer will and the love of his family, Glass must navigate a vicious winter in a relentless pursuit to live and find redemption.

Who else is in it: Domhnall Gleeson, Will Poulter, Kristoffer Jones

Batman V Superman: The Dawn of Justice

Why I want to see it: Also listed as one of the most anticipated films of 2016, but you’ll have to wait until March to see it! When my kids were young I’d take them to see every kind of superhero movie there was and I admit I enjoyed them as much as they did – the cool getups, the stunts, the special effects… it was pure entertainment and a great escape from our everyday lives. I’m still drawn to this genre and this particular movie piques my interest because it has two of the most popular DC comic heroes battling each other. I mean, who do you root for Superman or Batman? It’ll be interesting to see how it all plays out.

Plot: Fearing the actions of Superman (Henry Cavill) left unchecked, Gotham City’s own formidable, forceful vigilante Batman (Ben Affleck) takes on Metropolis’ most revered, modern-day savior, while the world wrestles with what sort of hero it really needs. And with Batman and Superman at war with one another, a new threat Doomsday quickly arises, putting mankind in greater danger than it’s ever known before.

Plot: Two sisters, one very loose and childish (Tina Fey), and the other uptight and divorced (Amy Poehler), throw one last party at their childhood home, which their parents are about to sell.

Why I want to see it: I’ve been waiting months to see this movie, and although it came out this past weekend, I was too busy to go see it! Tina Fey and Amy Poehler’s are nothing less than national treasures, both for their comedic abilities as well as their social activism, so I’d watch paint dry if they were the painters. This duo is truly dynamic, and getting to see them on screen again after their amazing job hosting The Golden Globes, I’m all about it.

Other stars: Maya Rudolph, John Cena, Ike Barinholtz, James Brolin

Hail Caesar

Plot: Eddie Mannix (Josh Brolin) is a Hollywood “fixer” helping the production of the upcoming film entitled Hail Caesar starring famous actor Baird Whitlock (George Clooney). When a hungover Whitlock is kidnapped by a group named The Future, Mannix is the one in charge of collecting $100,000 and rescuing him.

Why I want to see it: I mean, hello! A film directed and written by the Coen brothers with a crazy talented cast (I will see any movie ScarJo is in), but the plot itself sounds fascinating. It’s categorized as a comedy, drama and a musical, and that fact alone makes it seem like it will be nonstop entertaining. I’m also somewhat of a Coen brother fanatic, so altogether, it’s pretty much a can’t-miss for me.

Plot: Dalton Trumbo (Bryan Cranston) was a Hollywood screenwriter who, in 1947, was blacklisted along with other artists for refusing to testify to the United States Congress regarding alleged Communist propaganda in Hollywood films. He spent eleven months in federal prison in 1950.

Why I want to see it: Doesn’t this movie just seem to scream Give Me All of The Oscars? Personally, I’m excited to see Trumbo more for the historical aspect. I love biographical dramas, and although I had never heard of Dalton Trumbo specifically, I did know the history of the Hollywood Ten and found it fascinating. Though this movie seems like it might be dryer and less purely entertaining than the other two, I have the highest hopes for it.

So there you have it…nine great flicks. At my house, we’ll probably see something funny, like Sisters. Although if The Revenant were out on Christmas (not released until January 6th nationwide) I would see that for sure. I love a good man against nature survival story.

My other dark horse, if I can convince my husband to go, would be The Danish Girl. Eddie Redmayne is one of my favorite actors. He was AMAZING in The Theory of Everything, Les Miz, and My Week With Marilyn. If you’re staying home, Netflix these.

On behalf of all of us at Smart Perks, we hope your holidays are just like the movies, full of laughs and entertainment, with more love, joy and music than drama.